


master of none

by weatheredlaw



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pokemon Fusion, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-06-01 22:00:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6537832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weatheredlaw/pseuds/weatheredlaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You don’t just have a gym handed over to you. You earn it. I <i>earned</i> this place, I earned this team, and I earned the right to decide whether or not you deserve to stay in this fight.” He recalls his Pokémon. “You’re <i>done</i>, Miss Hopps.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	master of none

**Author's Note:**

> [SCREAMING AT MYSELF IN THE MIRROR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING ANYMORE]
> 
> (judy isn't 10 judy is 18, before u get ur skivvies in a bunch)

The gym of West Den is, according to rumor, one of the hardest in the region. Trainers have supposedly given up and returned home after having their teams completely wiped out by its fire-specialized leader. A fox, they say, with more integrity than some – a fact which cannot be proven. Any time Judy asks what they mean, all the dejected trainers can manage is, _That Ninetails. You just gotta watch out for that Ninetails._

Judy thinks they lack character.

She approaches the route to West Den intent on changing their minds. Intent on bringing back a story. “I beat Nicholas Wilde, I took the Honor badge, and I did it because I’m _strong._ ” Maybe inspire a few to get back on their feet, who knows?

And so, she begins preparing months in advance.

 

* * *

 

Back in the Burrow, most everyone has grass and ground Pokémon – stuff that grows, stuff that digs – water types, though, virtually non-existant. There was a school of Feebas in the lake, a handful of Magikarp to catch in shallow ponds, but –

Judy shakes off her doubt, and starts preparing.

It helps that the two gyms before West Den give her a chance to test things out. Wilde should have three Pokemon, and she can have up to six, but she’s intent on training three to match his own. Make it an even playing field, when she _trounces_ him. Everyone knows water types beat fire twice as hard, and so, walking into town the night before, she’s more than confident that she’s got this.

She can do this.

She’s _strong._

She checks into the local inn, and the vixen at the front desk gives her a kind smile.

“In town to challenge our leader?”

“Yes, ma’am. Judy Hopps.”

“It’s nice to meet you Judy. Where are you from?”

“Bunnyburrow, just a couple hours south of Zootopia.”

The vixen nods, passing Judy a room key. “He’s tough to beat. It’s been eleven months since the last time he gave out a badge. Or so I heard.”

Judy smiles. “I’ve been training.”

“I’m sure you have. Get a good night’s rest, Miss Hopps. You’ll need your energy.”

 

* * *

 

Word spreads through the hotel staff that Judy’s in town to battle Nick Wilde. She finds a little plate of cheese and fruit outside her door with a note from the kitchen – _Good luck!_ – and when she bounds down the stairs to head off to the gym, the fox behind the front desk calls out to her, “We’ll be thinking of you!”

“Thanks!” she says, and pushes open the doors to step into the –

_Rain._

Heavy, cold, _punishing_ rain.

The fox behind the desk comes up to her and hands her an umbrella. “Sorry, Miss Hopps. I should have warned you about the forecast.”

Judy swallows. “It’s fine.”

 _Why is it raining, it wasn’t supposed to rain, was it supposed to and I just didn’t know_ –

“I can do this.”

“Of course you can,” the fox says kindly, and holds the door open for her. Judy thanks him, and steps out into the storm.

She gets lost once, the sign for the gym blurring in the downpour, but it’s a relief to step inside, the heavy wooden door swinging shut behind her. It’s warm, she thinks. Appropriate for a fire leader. But the lights are low, the torches are unlit. She gets the feeling this used to be a building in its prime, once. But it’s been decidedly let go.

“ _Who’s there?!_ ” A gruff voice echoes through the halls, and it takes Judy a moment to realize there’s a small fox standing at the end of the hall, a heavy raincoat draped in his arms.

“J-Judy Hopps,” she calls. “I’m a trainer. I’m here to challenge the gym leader.”

The fox, a fennec fox if she’s got her species right, smirks and comes toward her. “Right. And here I was about to go. Turns out there’s gonna be a performance.”

“Aren’t you…you’re not the gym leader?”

The fennec wheezes, something that’s supposed to sound like laughter, she figures, and slaps his knee. “ _Hell_ no, little rabbit. _Hey, Nick!_ You got a challenger!”

Behind him, a few of the lights and torches come on. Another fox steps out of the side room, stretching and flipping a few switches.

“Do I?”

Judy nods. “Yes, sir. My name is Judy Hopps.”

“Hopps, huh? Where are you from?”

“Bunnyburrow.”

Nick chuckles. “Got fed up with farming, did you?”

“I’m here to challenge you,” she says, letting the comment roll off her back. She shakes out her umbrella and closes it. “I’ve been preparing—”

Nick waves a paw. “I’m sure you have. Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

“…Over with—” Judy flinches as a broad overhead light comes on above them, illuminating the space. It’s decidedly brighter, now, and warmer, too. The state of the place comes into sharp focus – a stain on the ceiling, the cracks in the walls and the wood floors. Judy steps closer, and the fennec fox moves off to the side, pulling up a chair.

“Finn, really, do you have to?”

“What, like you’re the only one allowed to have a good time?”

Nick rolls his eyes. “Right. You know the rules, rabbit. You can have up to six on your team. You knock out my team, you win. I knock out your team, you come back later. If at all.”

“I don’t plan on leaving here without my badge,” Judy says.

Nick smiles. “Well. We’ll see about that.” He goes over to a panel in the wall, pushes a button and asks, “How many badges do you have?”

“Three, now.”

“Good. That’s very good. You just beat Bellweather in the city, then? She’s tough.”

“She said you were tougher.” Nick shrugs. “Why are we still chatting?” Judy asks. “I’m here to battle.”

“Patience, Carrots. We’ll get there. Just making sure I give you a fair fight.” He selects three Pokeballs and closes the panel. “If you’re as ready as you say you are, then this should be easy.”

“That’s the goal.”

He turns back to her. “Right. Let’s start.”

 

* * *

 

He’s impressed by her first choice. “You’ve been training.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“We’ll see.” He tosses out his first Pokemon. “ _Houndoom, go!_ ”

Judy flinches. She’s never seen this one before. Her brain tells her it’s the evolved form of Houndour, which is, frankly, a lot cuter. The horns on this curve back sharply, and it’s _proud._

“You’re the challenger,” he says. “The first move is yours.”

Judy nods. “ _Right._ Seel, aqua jet!”

“ _Seel!_ ” Her Pokemon rears its head back, and a sharp burst of water hits the Houndoom across the room. It flinches, water covering its body.

“Steady,” Nick says. “ _Steady._ ” He looks up. “Good first move. Not the strongest, but then you only caught that Seel a month or so ago, right?”

“Uh, right.”

Nick nods. “It shows. Tell me, did the trainers I beat tell you anything about my team?”

“Only to watch out for your Ninetails.”

Nick smirks. “Fair enough. I suppose you didn’t have the patience to stick around and ask about the others, did you?”

“They’re fire types,” Judy says. She’s getting sick of the needling. She wants to _battle._ Wasn’t her move effective? Didn’t it _work?_ ”

“Sure,” Nick says. “ _Houndoom, thunder fang!_ ”

“ _What?!_ ” The Houndoom bounds across the room before Judy can even react, its teeth closing over her Seel and sending out an electric shock.

Her Pokemon stumbles, falls, and doesn’t move.

“ _No!_ ”

“Good boy,” Nick murmurs, scratching under the Houndoom’s jaw. “You strategy is an open book, rabbit. You need to know type advantages _and_ move sets. A simple interrogation of the town would have told you everything you need to know about my team. You’re welcome to forfeit whenever you’d like,” he adds.

Judy grinds her teeth. “No.” She brings her Seel back into its Pokeball, disappointed with herself, angry she let him get to her. “We keep going.”

Nick frowns. “Fine,” he snaps. “But you’re going to need a better strategy, and fast. _Houndoom, return._ ” He puts the Pokeball back on the table before selecting another. “Lampent, you’re up!” The ball flies. Judy frowns. _He could have just kept attacking me with the thunder fang. He could win. What’s he up to?_

“Azumarill, go!”

Nick laughs. “A good choice, actually. But you lost the last round, and I get to go first.”

“Doesn’t matter to me,” Judy says. Her Pokemon’s aqua tail is strong, she’s beat plenty of fire types along the way here with it.

“It should,” Nick says. “Lampent, use smog!” The Lampent hums, and a rich, acrid smoke pours from it, engulfing Azumarill. It coughs and chokes, squeaking for help until the smog subsides. It shivers. “Poisoned,” Nick says. “And it doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to shake it off, does it?”

“Azumarill, you can do this—” But her Pokemon is looking weaker and weaker. “Aqua tail!” Her Pokemon nods, aims –

“Missed,” Nick says. And he’s right. “Your little guy doesn’t have the energy.” He takes something from his pocket. “Know what this is, Miss Hopps?” She shakes her head. “It’s an X-Defense. Raises my Pokemon’s ability to defend against you attacks. They sell them in the Pokemart, in case you wanted to know. Maybe after you heal your team up, give it a shot.”

“I don’t need _shopping advice_ ,” she snaps. “Azumarill, do it again!” The move hits this time, but her Pokemon is looking weaker, and his is only getting started.

“It’s the end of the line, Carrots! How much longer can your little mouse stay in the game?” He taps his wrist. “You’re wasting my time, and yours. You weren’t prepared, and you think you’re stronger just because you showed up with three water types you trained on the fly.”

“What do you know?”

“A lot,” he snarls. “You don’t just have a gym handed over to you. You _earn it._ I earned this place, I earned this team, and I _earned_ the right to decide whether or not you deserve to stay in this fight.” He recalls his Pokemon. “You’re _done_ , Miss Hopps.”

“I have one more—”

“ _You’re done!_ ” he shouts. “You’ve disrespected your team, yourself, and you’ve _wasted my time!_ ” The overhead light goes out with a bang. “Just like everyone else,” he mutters. “Just like _everyone_ else.”

 

* * *

 

The rain has stopped, but Judy still feels cold to the bone. She takes her beleaguered team to the Pokemon center, and the nurse takes them from her carefully, healing them up.

“Bad gym battle?”

“…Yeah.”

“Wilde’s a tough one to beat.” She passes back the Pokeballs. “Runs in the family, I think.”

“What do you mean?”

“His old man ran that place. Nick and I went to school together, he was always training, every free moment he had. His dad was always onto him about being better, being the best. Worked in his favor, I guess. He beats every one of you trainers that passes through.” She sighs. “What was your strategy?”

“Um. I had three water types—”

“That Houndoom, right?”

Judy looks up. “How do you—”

“Everyone in town knows Nick Wilde’s team. I’m sure you’ve got something that could give him a challenge.”

“Maybe…” Judy places her Pokemon bag in her bag, and heads over to the computer.

There’s an email from her mom, and from the professor back in the Burrow, asking how everything is going. She decides to answer those later, and starts checking through her PC, scrolling down the list. She’s caught a lot of things, but she can’t spot anything right off the bat that could beat that Houndoom, or the mythic Ninetails.

 _Stupid,_ she thinks. _Stupid girl._

 

* * *

 

She tries to eat something, but nothing looks good. The café is slow, only herself and an older couple in the corner. The door swings open, letting in a rush of cold air. Judy hugs her jacket tighter around her shoulders, and reaches for her coffee.

“Well at least you haven’t hit the bottle.”

She looks up, and Nick Wilde is leaning against the wall, watching her.

“What are you doing here?”

“This is still my town, Carrots, even if you think you own it.”

“Whatever.” She sips her drink.

“You should eat,” he says, gentler now. “Don’t let one failure keep you from having the best noodles outside of Zootopia.” He sits down across from her and orders two bowls. “Extra veggies for this one, yeah?”

Judy sees no reason in hiding her feelings.

She pouts.

“Come on, Carrots. Don’t get so down on yourself.” He leans forward. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“I deserved it,” she says glumly.

“You did,” he agrees. “Doesn’t mean that I don’t feel bad about it.” He pauses. “You made a dumb mistake.”

“I know.”

“And I’m pretty sure you could do better.” Nick leans back as the waitress sets two bowls of steaming noodles in front of them. “ _Perfect._ ”

Judy straightens, picking up her chopsticks and poking at her food. “What makes you so sure?”

“Well.” Nick slurps. “Sorry. I just think everyone has the potential. Something my old man said to everyone who came through. However good you’re doing, you could always be doing better. Once you stop thinking that, you’ve stopped growing. Only way for you is down.” He points. “You’re better than that, I already know it.”

“You _wrecked_ my team.”

“Because I’m very good at what I do,” he says calmly. “Trainers have beat me.”

“Not for eleven months.”

“That’s the rumor. I thought it had been less, but apparently this town’s better at keeping up with me than I am.” He sighs. “Look. I’m not going to tell you how to win, but you know what you have to do now, right?”

Judy nods. “I think so.”

“Good. Let’s finish eating so you can get some rest. You’ve got some training to do tomorrow.?”

She looks at him, shoveling noodles into his mouth and babbling on about how great the broth is and how amazing the family that owns the place is. Judy smiles, feels a little warmth in her belly, and eats her food.

 

* * *

 

Late into the night, Judy catalogues what she knows –

Nick Wilde has a Houndoom, and a Lampent. There’s also the mysterious Ninetails she hasn’t met yet, but she’ll deal with that unknown later. Right now, it’s time to concentrate on taking down those two. She goes to the library, checks out five volumes on move types and strengths, unpacks her TM’s, and spends more money than she’d like at the mart. It’s worth it, though.

Because at the end of the week, she’s going to beat him.

 

* * *

 

“I hope you took my words to heart, Carrots.”

“I did my best.”

Nick folds his arms over his chest. “Alright,” he says. The overhead light comes on. “Then let’s try again.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

**_One Year Later_ **

It’s raining, and it’s two in the morning, and Nick is _pissed._ He fumbles down the stairs from his little loft above the gym, misses the last step, and falls flat on his face. The banging hasn’t let up. It pauses, every few seconds, then starts again. Nick swears, scrambling to his feet and flying at the door, wrenching it open and –

“ _Judy!_ ”

She’s soaked to the bone, shivering, her flimsy jacket and umbrella doing nothing against the deluge.

“Can I—”

“Carrots get in here.” He yanks her inside by the collar of her jacket, slamming the door shut behind him. “You’re freezing, we need to get you warm.”

“Y-yeah—”

“Dumb bunny,” he mutters, but wraps his arms around her, pulling her towards the back of the gym, towards the kitchen and sitting room. She sits where he puts her, right in front of the fire as he leans over to get it going. “Sorry I didn’t reply to your last letter,” he admits. “How’d everything go?”

Judy snorts, then sneezes. “Well, I’m back here again, soaking wet, and running on fumes. How do you think it went?”

Nick cringes. “That bad?”

“Honestly? No. I was ready, I was prepared. But I fizzled out on my last round with the champion. And I’m so _tired_ , Nick. I’m just…exhausted.” He nods, and the fire roars to life. “Perfect,” she murmurs.

Nick sighs, helping her move to the couch. “Get out of that jacket, I’ve got something you can wear.”

“M’kay.”

“Don’t fall asleep, yet. You need to get out of those clothes.”

“Mr. Wilde, that’s rather forward of you.”

He sighs. “In your dreams, Carrots.” She laughs as he heads out of the room, wandering towards the guest room to pull out some spare clothes. A stray thought crosses his mind – _dreams_ and _yours_ and _carrots_ , but –

He comes back and she’s almost asleep, but she wakes up long enough to change as Nick makes her some tea.

“Drink up.”

“M’tired.”

“Yeah, _me too_. Some bunny woke me up at two AM.”

“I’m sure she’s very sorry,” Judy says quietly, sipping at her tea and leaning back against the pillows. Nick swipes the cup from her before she falls asleep and spills it into her lap. Sighing, he throws a few more blankets over her, grabs one for himself, and passes out on the couch next to her.

 

* * *

 

In the morning, he’s woken by the smell of toast, slightly burnt, and coffee. It’s the first time in a long time someone’s been up before him, and it’s been even longer since someone made _him_ something to eat. He wanders into the kitchen, flops down at a chair, and has a cup of coffee sat promptly in front of him.

“ _Good_ morning!”

“Too cheery.”

“It isn’t even eight, go back to bed.”

Nick huffs. “Can’t. Work to do.”

Judy folds her arms over her chest. “You aren’t still training that Charmander the professor sent you?”

“ _We are getting somewhere_ ,” Nick says, and pours creamer liberally into his coffee. “I feel like things are looking up for us. We’ve really made a connection.”

“Is that why your ankles are wrapped in gauze?”

“A precaution,” he says, waving his paw. “Don’t worry about it. I know what I’m doing.” Judy shrugs and he says, “Why’d you come here?”

Her paws freeze over the skillet of potatoes. “I…I don’t know.”

“Kind of far from the elite four.”

“Took the train,” she says. “And I wanted to see you. Figured you’d laugh in my face, actually.”

“…Judy—”

“Honestly.” She sits down at the table. “You want to know what happened?”

“Dying to,” he says.

She nods, reaching for her own mug and pouring creamer into it. “I lost on purpose.”

Nick _spits._

“ _What?!_ ” Judy shrugs. “Hopps. What the _hell_ is wrong with you?”

The question hangs there between them, and several minutes pass in complete silence before Judy says quietly: “I didn’t want it.” However odd it sounds, she’s smiling. “I didn’t _want_ it.”

Nick reaches out, putting a paw on her wrist. “…What _do_ you want?”

She shrugs. “Haven’t figured it out yet. I’ll go home, first. I’ll get back to my roots. But the champion…that just wasn’t a life I could see me living.” She laughs. “I mean, how would I be able to just drop in and bother you?”

 

* * *

 

from: [judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr](mailto:judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr)  
to: [nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr](mailto:nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr)  
subject: my fancy new email

I hope you see that email, slick.

I figured out what I wanted.

And I got it.

 

 

from: [nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr](mailto:nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr)  
to: [judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr](mailto:judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr)  
subject: re: my fancy new email

YOU DID NOT TELL ME THIS WAS HAPPENING, HOPPS.

I CAN’T BELIEVE TWISKERS GAVE UP HIS GYM.

 

 

from: [judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr](mailto:judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr)  
to: [nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr](mailto:nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr)  
subject: re: my fancy new email

He said I’d earned it.

I think you can relate.

 

 

from: [nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr](mailto:nickpwilde@westdengym.ztr)  
to: [judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr](mailto:judyhopps@triburrowgym.ztr)  
subject: re: my fancy new email

i’m going to send you so many garbage trainers. whip them into shape for me, will ya?

 

 

* * *

 

 

**_Four Years Later_ **

“Wilde sent you here?”

“Y-yes ma’am.”

She frowns. “But you got your Honor badge.”

“I did, ma’am. But Mr. Wilde, ma’am, he called my performance lacking. H-he thought that you would know better what to say.”

Judy sighs. “Alright.”

“Also he told me to tell you that, um…” The tiger leans forward and says, quietly, “You look very lovely today, even if he isn’t sure what you’re wearing.”

She scrubs a paw over her face. “ _Thank_ you, for passing on the message.”

 

* * *

 

Later, she turns on her computer and gives him a call.

“ _Hey_ , Carrots.”

“Nick. You need to stop asking trainers to give me compliments.”

He laughs on the other side of the screen. “Yeah, but you _do_ look very nice today.”

“I’m in my pajamas.”

“And might I say, they are _lovely_ pajamas.”

She leans forward. “Flatterer.”

“Tease,” he says back. “I miss you.”

“I know. I’ll get there.”

He shakes his head. “No, no, I’m coming to you. I owe you, seriously.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Nick.”

“I’m coming there, and we’re gonna battle together.”

“That’s against league rules.”

Nick shrugs. “Just for fun. All in good fun.” He yawns. “I’m exhausted. I’m _so_ exhausted.”

“Go sleep,” Judy murmurs.

“Yeah.” He pauses. “Hey, Judith, guess what?”

“What, Nicholas?”

He leans closer. “I love you.”

“And I love you. Good night, fox.”

“G’night, bunny.”


End file.
